Dry-pipe chemical-mixing fire-extinguisher system.



R. L. CUONEY.

DRY PIPE CHEMICAL MIXING FIRE ExTINGuIsHEII SYSTEM.

PPLIcATIoM FILED FEB. 2I. Ism.

Patented Oat. 10, 1916.

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R.` L. ACODNEY. DRY PIPE CHEMICALMIX'ING FIRE EXTINGUISHER SYSTEM.APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21, 1914..

1,200,814. Patented 0@t.'10,1916.

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'UNTED STATS ROBERT L. cooivnv, or ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

DRY-PIPE CHEMICAL-MIXING FIRE-EXTINGUISHER SYSTEM.

Laconia.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

Application filed. February 21, 1914. Serial No. 820,310.

To all whom t may concern: v

Be it known that I, ROBERT L. COONY, a citizen of the United' States,yresiding at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Dry-Pipe Chemical-MixingFire-Extinguisher Systems, of which the following is a speciiication.

rIhis invention relates to improvements in dry pipe chemical mixing fireextinguisher systems, which-include a stationary tank to be partiallyfilled-with an alkaline solution, an invertible acid bottle arranged inthe tank, and a mechanical element connected with the acid bottle andoperable to effect an inversion of the same consequent to a venting ofthe pressure in the distributing pipe of the system" as by the openingof a sprinkler head. or `distributing. valve. The object of theinvention, briefly stated, is to provide a system having the mechanicalfeatures noted, and whereinthe movement` of the aforesaid mechanicalelement will be without sliding friction, thel said element in itsmovements, being devoid of contact with the inner surface of thecylinder or equivalent element, in which it moves, and hence having itsoperative movement unaffected by corrosion or by deposits upon thesurface of said cylinder. The system is thus made sensitively andreliably responsive to those influences which initiate the dischargingoperation of the acid bottle.

The features of the invention area-pplicable to dry pipe systems of thecharacter noted, wherein the operation is caused by pneumatic pressure,as in the construction shown in my prioi` Patent No. 1,075,283, of

Oct. 7, 1913, or tov a system wherein the op.- eration is caused by theweight of some unbalanced mechanical element, normally held in restraintby thel pressure, in the distributing pipe.

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompany-ingdrawings, where- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing theinvention in connection with a balanced pressure system such as isillustrated in my Patent No. 1,075,283, aforesaid; Fig. 2 is a detailsectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a longitudinalsection showing a modification applicable to a dry pipe system whereinthe discharge of' the acid bottle is due to the influence of the weightof an unbalanced mechanical element; Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view onthe line 4 4 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a detail view illustrating themeans whereby the acid bottle is normally held against inversion.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views.

The system in connection with which the present invention is employedincludes a tank 1, a distributing pipe 2, a pipe 3 projecting into thetank and formed as 'a continuation of the distributing pipe, and anenlarged cylinder'i, interposed between the pipes 2 and 3 and, ineffect, forming -a part of the distributing pipe in so far as itprovides a flow way through which the solution passes from the tank intothe 'distributing pipe at the ltime of a fire. The system also includesan acid bottle 5 lwhich is pivoted of center as at 6 in supportingbrackets 7, and which, in the operation of the system, is over-turnedtofdischarge its contents into the alkaline solution with which thetan-k 1 is partially filled. rllhe system shown in Fig. 1 is of thebalanced pressure type, being broadly similar in thisV respect tothesystem shown in my prior Patent No. 1,075,283 aforesaid, and includes a--by-pass connection 8 between the distributing pipe andthe tank, orother equivalent means. The connection 8 includes a diaphragm having aminute aperture 9 and its olice is to' maintain the pressures in thedise tributing pipe and in the tank normally equal, and to thuscompensate for leakage without, however, permitting the pressure -in thetank to become equal to the pressure in the pipe 2 when the latte-rpressure is suddenly reduced or vented, as by the opening of a sprinklerhead or distributing valve upon the occasion ofa fire.

- I The acid bottle in the embodiment shown is provided with a looseVcap 10 which, at one side thereof, is connected by a chain 11 toa rod 12passing through the elbow whereat the pipe 3 joins theenlarged cylindert. The latter is provided with an inturned flange 13 which forms acontinuation of said elbow and serves as a rest or seat for a plate 15.The plate 15 is preferably of disk form and is of substantially lessdiameter than the internal diameter of the cylinder 4, whereby, in itsmovements toward and away from the seat 13, it has no contact `with thesurface of the cylinder. The plate 15 is foo provided at its lower sidewith a lug 16 which is mounted on a pivot pin 17, arranged transverselyof the lower portion of the cylinder 4. The movement of the plate 15away from the seat 13 is limited by a bar 18 or equivalent device,arranged transversely of said cylinder.

1n operation, when a sprinkler head or distributing valve is opened sothat the pressure in the pipe 2 is suddenly vented, the fluid underpressure in the tank expands and acts on the plate 15, causing thelatter to move sharply and rapidly from its seat 13 and to therebyinitiate the over-turning movement of the acid bottle 5, at which timethe acid in said bottle mixes with the solution in the tank, and thesaid solution is expelled from the tank through the pipes 3 and 2 by thehigh pressure developed consequent to the mixing of the chemicals. Theplate 15 is devoid of sliding contact with the walls of the cylinder 4,and its degree of frictional contact with the pin 17 is negligible, byreason of the relatively small diameter of said pin and the slightextent of the lug 16. It follows that the plate 15 is reliablyresponsive to the action of the pres` sure in the tank 1, consequent tothe venting of the pressure in the pipe 2.

The construction shown in Fig. 3 embodies a system wherein theover-turning of the acid bottle is caused, not by pneumatic pressure,but by the weight of some mechanical element which is normally held inrestraint by the pressure in the pipe 2, but which is unbalanced whenthe pressure in the pipe 2 is vented at the time of a fire. In itsapplication to this type of system, the invention preferably includes aplate 15a which is in the form of a piston and, like the plate 15, is ofsubstantially less diameter than the cylinder in which it works (suchcylinder being designated 4a) and is devoid of contact with the innerface of said cylinder. The plate 15a normally rests against a seat 13aprovided at the upper end of the pipe 3a which corresponds to the pipe 3of the irst embodiment. rIhe acid bottle is mounted to move in a planetransverse to the cylinder, instead o-f longitudinal to the cylinder, asin the embodiment first described, and one of the brackets 7 a, by whichthe acid bottle is supported, is provided near the upper end of the acidbottle with a recess 19 extending from one side edge of said bracket andaccommodating an apertured lug 20 which projects from the adjacent sideof the acid bottle. The acid bottle is normally held againstover-turning movement by a latch rod 21 which passes loosely throughguides 22V secured to the adjacent bracket 7a and which has its upperend engaged loosely through the aperture in the lug 20. The latch rod 21is operatively connected to the plate 15, the connections comprising arod 23 depending from said plate through the pipe 3, and a lever 24which, at its ends, is pivoted to the lower ends of therespective rods23 and 2l. r1`he lever 24 is pivotally supported between its ends by abracket 25 conveniently secured to the pipe 3a. The lower end of thepipe 3a is formed with a recess 26 in which that end of the lever 24which projects into said pipe, works.

fihe pressure in the pipe 2 normally holds the plate 15a against itsseat. This pressure is opposed to a weight 27 provided on the rod 21.lhen the pressure in the pipe 2 is suddenly vented, the rod 21, `(which,as stated, passes loosely through the guides 22) drops, whereupon itsupper end is disengaged from the lug 20 and the acid bottle 5, beingmounted off center', overturn's and discharges its contents into thetank.

rlhe pivotal connections of the lever 24 are quite small and the rod 21is of very small diameter. 1t follows that the friction incident to thepivotal connections of the lever 24 and to the provision of the guides22 is negligible.

Having fully described my invention, I claim:

1. A chemical mixing fire extinguisher system comprising a tank for analkaline solution, an invertible acid bottle mounted within the tank, apipe projecting toward the bottom of the tank, a distributing pipeleading from the tank, a cylinder connecting said pipes, the cylinderhaving a seat at its end communicating with said first-named pipe, aplate of substantially less diameter than the internal diameter of saidcylinder and movable within the same in the direction of the axisthereof, the plate normally resting against said seat, and connectionsbetween the plate and the acid bottle whereby the latter is sustainednormally in an upright position and whereby the overturning movement ofthe acid bottle is initiated by a movement of said plate away from itsseat, the plate being so arranged as to be devoid of contact with thesurrounding wall of the cylinder during its movement to initiate theinversion of the acid bottle.

2. A,` chemical mixing fire extinguisher system comprising a tank for analkaline solution, an invertible acid bottle mounted within the tank, apipe projecting toward the bottom of the tank, a distributing pipeleading from the tank, a cylinder connecting said pipes, the cylinderhaving a seat at its end communicating with said first-named pipe, aplate of substantially less diameter than the internal diameter of saidcylinder and movable within the same in the direction of the axisthereof, the plate normally resting against said seat, a pivotalconnection between one side of said plate and said cylinder, andconnections between the plate and the acid bottle whereby the latter issustained normally in an upright position and In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto set whereby the' overturning movement of the my hand inpresence of two subscribing wit- 1o acid bottle is initiated by amovement of nesses.

said plate away from its seat, the plate being so arranged as to bedevoid of contact with ROBERT L COOBEY the surrounding wall of thecylinder during Witnesses:

its movement to initiate the inversion of the R. L. CAMPBELL,

acid bottle. G. M. ABBOTT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Gommissioner'of Patents, Washington, D. C.

